Monday, February 24, 2014

Review+ Swatches: Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure Base Coat, Top Coat, Dry & Go, Mudslide, And Pink Pong Polishes

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure Base Coat, Top Coat, Dry & Go, Mudslide, And Pink Pong Polishes.jpeg
Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure Base Coat, Top Coat, Dry & Go, Mudslide, And Pink Pong Polishes


All through college, I painted my nails regularly.  I never bothered with using a base coat because the surface of my nails was smooth enough to accept the lacquer for a nice finish.  I thought why should I bother?  However, that was then.  Now I have ridges and weaker nails, which changes everything.  If I intend to sport pretty nails, then I had to branch out with new manicure products.  Today I want to tell you about my experience with Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure system of products that I was sent to test.

I started with the Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Smooth & Strong Base Coat.  On my index finger, I brushed on as I would normally do the polish.  In doing so, I didn't fill in all the ridges as you will notice from the photo.  Therefore, I gave my other fingers a heavier coat. This was what my nails really needed for how the product smoothed and built that weak nail up.


modeling Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure 240 Ping Pong with base coat.jpeg
Here I'm modeling Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure 240 Ping Pong with base coat.

Just to show you the difference, I painted my thumb with Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure 250 Mudslide Polish without that base coat.  This is more a nude shade of peach-brown.  You will notice my ridges show through the nail enamel.  Also, the color isn't as glossy as the ones that I primed first with the base before painting. 


modeling Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure 250 Mudslide.jpeg
Notice the difference of my thumb without the Base Coat and just Mudslide.  The other nails have both.  Incredible smoothness, don't you agree?    
I also received 240 Pink Pong, which I would describe as a nude pink-brown.  Both colors are wonderful basic neutrals.  I loved how easy this polish was with that brush for painting.  

When I primed first with that base coat, I got a deeper shade with one coat of the 250 Mudslide and extreme shine.  Seriously, I never realized what a beautiful difference this base coat could make for overall appearance and strengthening.  Usually, I am constantly filing my nails because of how quickly they snag or break.  This didn't happen to me once now with this biotin and spirulina reinforced formula.

Next, I followed the base coat and polish with the Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Ultra-Wear Top Coat in Clear.  This was extra protection to that gorgeous color like a clear coat of nail armor. 

With my allergies, the fumes of polish can irritate me more than others.  But, I must admit these products weren't that bad to inhale as many others that I have tried.  To best safeguard myself, I thought the Complete Salon Manicure Dry & Go Drops was something I had to try to speed up the drying process.  All you need to wait is 60 seconds after putting on that top coat, then add a drop or two per nail.  I just needed a drop per each.

I wanted to see how Sally Hansen's Strengthening Nail Polish Remover might be kinder on my weak, thin nails.  This formula is fortified with vitamins and wheat protein to strengthen as it removes the lacquer.  I only used it on my thumb that had just the nail polish because I needed to match it up with my other primed nails.  This rubbed that polish with just one loaded cotton ball.

I think Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure system of products works exceptionally well.  Anyone with weak nails or a problem with ridges definitely should look into buying the Base Coat, Top Coat, as well as the Salon Manicure polishes for strengthening them and being able to wear beautiful color again without chipping or snagging your nails for quite a while.  Even those that have perfect nails should consider buying the complete system because using these products together, your nails will look even more professionally done.  The Dry & Go is fantastic as well. 

*Disclaimer:  Free products were provided to facilitate this review--not my opinion.*